About Brett Harding
Brett Harding is a lifelong medicolegal professional with more than three decades of experience investigating deaths and serving communities with integrity and precision. As Chief Deputy Coroner for Ada County, he brings nationally recognized expertise, steady leadership, and a deep commitment to providing families and citizens with accurate, compassionate, and professional forensic services. Brett has instituted strategic changes for the benefit of the office and Ada County. Brett is dedicated to ensuring the Coroner’s Office continues to operate with excellence, transparency, and respect for those it serves. In his off time, Brett enjoys traveling with his wife and spending time with their children and their five grandchildren.
Brett’s story
Brett Harding grew up on a farm in Indiana and enjoyed the outdoor life. At age nine, he rescued twin boys who fell through the ice of their pond, earning him the Boy Scout National Medal of Merit. He was active in sports throughout high school and college where he played basketball and served in student government as Sports and Recreation Commissioner.
While studying the medical field in college, Brett met the love of his life, Karen, a hairdresser. They married and moved to Florida where they started their home, careers, business and family. Karen started a successful salon business and became an educator while Brett worked part time in a pathology lab and continued his degree. There Brett discovered what turned out to be a career choice he had never imagined. The lab was owned by the area medical examiner who took Brett under his wing and initiated his training as a Medicolegal Death Investigator. Brett changed his major to Criminology, combining his interests in medicine and law.
Brett and Karen built a home, raised two sons, Brock and Kyle, and became involved in youth sports. Through coaching and mentoring, they met and became legal guardians to a young boy, Jordan, their third son.
While working at the Medical Examiner’s Office, Brett was asked to join a transplant recovery team. There he gained surgical and clinical experience while furthering his education. His passion for medicolegal work ultimately led him back to the field. After years of successful work in Florida, he accepted a position as Assistant Coroner in Las Vegas, Nevada which added a new chapter to his career.
Love of Idaho
Through Brett’s involvement in national affiliations in this field, he was presented with a new opportunity to serve the people of Idaho. Upon visiting, Brett felt a sense of community reminiscent of their roots, making the move feel like a homecoming.
Since accepting the position as Chief Deputy Coroner, Brett and Karen realized there is no other place they would rather be. Brett is looking toward the future as the coroner, hand in hand with help from the tremendous staff, the state-of-the-art facility, the outstanding organizations, and citizens of Ada County, Brett will take the Coroner’s Office to a whole new level of professionalism and service.